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They aren’t consistent about when and how they give their kids money. They wonder if allowances should be tied to chores. Even how they dole out money can be a problem. Cash is easiest, but much of what kids want to buy — downloads of a favorite show, a toy on Amazon, a realm in Minecraft — requires plastic.

I’ve used our daughter as a guinea pig to test all kinds of allowance systems and apps , starting when she was just 3.

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Today’s top story: Teaching your kids to avoid money mistakes. Also in the news: Becoming a smarter investor, cleaning up your digital life, and how your summer vacation could earn you credit card perks.

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